Veronica plant named ‘Agriveroblue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Agriveroblue’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dense inflorescences with numerous medium violet blue-colored flowers; and good container performance.

Botanical designation: Veronica spicata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AGRIVEROBLUE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant, botanically known as Veronica spicata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Agriveroblue’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact and freely branching Veronica plants with early and freely flowering habit.

The new Veronica plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June 2009 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Veronica spicata identified as code number 208011, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Veronica spicata identified as code number 208004-02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Veronica plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in January, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by top cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since March, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Veronica plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Agriveroblue’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Agriveroblue’ as a new and distinct Veronica plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Vernalization treatment not required for flower initiation         and development.     -   5. Dense inflorescences with numerous medium violet blue-colored         flowers.     -   6. Good container performance.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica are more compact than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Veronica flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Veronica are more freely flowering than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronica spicata ‘Yabblu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,304. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, plants of the new Veronica differed primarily from plants of ‘Yabblu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica were more compact than plants of         ‘Yabblu’.     -   2. Plants of the new Veronica grew faster than plants of         ‘Yabblu’.     -   3. Plants of the new Veronica had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Yabblu’.     -   4. Plants of the new Veronica were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Yabblu’.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Veronica were darker violet blue         in color than flowers of plants of ‘Yabblu’.     -   6. Plant habit of plants of the new Veronica was more suitable         as a container plant than plant habit of plants of ‘Yabblu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Veronica plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Agriveroblue’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following description were grown in 12-cm containers during the autumn and winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial potted Veronica production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 19° C. and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants were pinched one week after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica spicata ‘Agriveroblue’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica             spicata identified as code number 208011, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica             spicata identified as code number 208004-02, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Top cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C. to             25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 to 18 days at 21°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 28             days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to             light grey brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and upright plant habit,             narrow inverted triangle; basal branching habit with about             six primary lateral branches, pinching enhances lateral             branch development; moderately vigorous growth habit; fast             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 15 cm to 18 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm.             Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Finely pubescent. Color:             Close to 139C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137D.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 139C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 139C; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petiole length.—About 5 mm to 8 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.5 mm to 2 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 139C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers             arranged on upright terminal racemes; racemes dense; flowers             face outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering, about 100 flowers per             raceme and about 10 to 16 inflorescences developing per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—During the spring and summer,             plants begin flowering about 13 weeks after planting; during             the autumn and winter, plants begin flowering about 17 weeks             after planting; in the garden, plants flower naturally from             May to August.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             one week; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovoid. Color: Close to 97C.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 8 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl,             petals fused towards the base. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 94C;             towards the base, close to 97D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 94B; towards the base, close to             97D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl,             sepals fused towards the base. Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 137B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 137A. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, from uppermost leaves to base of raceme:             About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Aspect: Erect. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 139C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Aspect: About 60° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 139B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Anther length: About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic.             Anther color, immature: Close to 83C. Anther color, mature:             Close to 93A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Color: Close to 160C.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Stigma shape: Filiform.             Stigma color: Close to 93B. Style length: About 5.5 mm.             Style color: Close to 93B. Ovary color: Close to 139C.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 199C. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Veronica have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Veronica     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Veronica have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Agriveroblue’ as illustrated and described. 